DONEGAL’S JASON QUIGLEY claimed a second victory as a professional in Carston City, California, last night by defeating Fernando Najera.
The Ballybofey boxer was awarded the fight after three rounds. Having started confidently and on the front, Quigley left Najara bloodied after a flurry of punches in the third and before the fourth, the Mexican’s corner signalled he could not continue.
In the main event, Kell Brook stretched his perfect record to 33 straight wins by beating Shawn Porter by a majority decision last night to capture the International Boxing Federation’s world welterweight title.
The 28-year-old Brook, who was taking part in the first title fight of his career, improved to 33-0, with 22 knockouts as he handed Porter the first loss of his career.
“I took it off him in his backyard,” Brook said. “I was nine years old dreaming of becoming a world champion and now I am.”
Brook, of Sheffield, England, won handily on two judges scorecards, 117-111 and 116-112, while a third scored it a draw, 114-114.
Brook is hoping this 147-pound title victory sets up an mega fight in the UK with former two-time world champion Amir Khan.
“I think (Khan) can get in the queue now. Everyone knows I am top dog in England now,” Brook said.
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American Porter was making the second defence of the IBF title he won in December. Porter dropped to 26-1-1 with 15 knock-outs.
“He took my belt tonight,” Porter said. “I want the rematch. I don’t care where we have to go to get it done.”
Both fighters were cut near the eye due to accidental head butts over the 12-round battle at the StubHub Center stadium in south central Los Angeles.
Blemish
Porter defeated Paulie Malignaggi his last time in the ring in April with a technical knockout in the fourth round.
Porter’s record received a blemish after a draw to Julio Diaz in 2012, but he reeled off four consecutive wins from there leading up to the Brook bout on Saturday. Those wins included a rematch victory against Diaz and a unanimous decision win over then titleholder Devon Alexander.
Also on the undercard, cancer survivor Anthony Dirrell (27-0) snatched Australia’s Sakio Bika’s (32-6) WBC super middleweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision in a rematch win.
Dirrell, who underwent chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008, earned his first world title.
American Omar Figueroa (24-0-1) defended his WBC lightweight title belt with a ninth-round knockout of Mexico’s Daniel Estrada (32-3-1).
“The Aviva Stadium is expected to be at a reduced capacity for the game, in the region of 27,000, although that could change in the event of exceptional demand” surely that’s how it is with moat teams? I’d imagine there will be a lot more of a demand than the 27,000 capacity anyway.
@Dave Murray: I would have thought that certain sections will not be used with restricted capacity, resulting in a smaller staff requirement. If they put all 52k tickets on sale, all sections will have to be available and therefore full match day costs applied.
@Paul Ennis: I get that, just thought it(a little)odd that they would announce a 27,000 capacity restriction before tickets are on sale to the public and see what the demand is etc. But I guess with a short turn around and Easter weekend it could be harder to shift 50,000 tickets and get staff in like you said.
@Dave Murray: EPRC also organising the game rather than Leinster, and they’re shit at running things.
Without being presumptuous – is the semi final
Draw already planned out?
@Daithi Mc Ghiollamhairtin: Yeah. Leinster/Leicester v Toulouse/Sharks and La Rochelle/Salarycens v Exeter/Stormers
@baz dunne: many thanks
@baz dunne: Salarycens hahaha
5 day turnaround with the knock on effect of potential reduced capacity due to the limited timeframe is a great reward for going through as top seed. This is an absolute joke
@Rob Doyle: Your prize for top seed is its at “home” or at least 10mins down the road from it, so be thankful you’re not coming from Welford Rd with a week to plan it!! it does feel too near, be better if a 2 week gap but all the teams that are through are in the same scenario regardless of they seeding. 27k is an average sized rugby stadium, crucially it’s circa 10k more than full RDS capacity, and the fans all know the weekends of the semis well in advance, if not the exact day. I’m not overjoyed by a half full Aviva myself but it is what it is.
Real shame it’s not in a packed RDS, a half full Aviva sucks.
I think we’ll Leinster, Sharks, Stormers, and La Rochelle in the semis.
@Brenda Collins: 3 from URC? they’ll be due an ol restructure soon enough so.